Carton for flat coiled tubing



April 18, 1967 H. E. FRANK, JR

` CARTON FOR FLAT COILED TUBING Filed May 3, 1965 f7 l/ a .1 FIG.8

INVENTOR.

HAR Y E. FRANK JR. mgl/# f I United States Patent Office 3,314,5:56 CARTON FOR FLAT COILED TUBING Harry E. Frank, Jr., Dearborn, Mich., assignor to Cainmet & Hecla, Inc., Alien Park, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 3, 1965, Ser. No. 452,511 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) The presen-t invention relates -to a carton for fiat coiled tubing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a carton formed from two precut sheets of material having tabs folded into engagement with each other to provide sides for the carton.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carton by precutting sheet material into two pieces of generally similar annular configuration each of which has a central portion adapted to form the ends of the carton, and each of which is provided with separated tabs adapted to be folded into overlapping relation to provide the sides or edges of the carton.

More specically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carton comprising a pair of generally annular sheets provided with alternately relatively longer and shorter tabs adapted to be assembled together with the tabs folded so as to enclose the sides of the carton and to form a connection between the end members.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide la carton of the character described in which some of the tabs are of generally T-shaped conguration designed to provide for interlocking of the ends of the cross arm of the T beneath the adjacent tabs on the opposite member.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein:

lFIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a carton constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the carton seen in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3, FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the manner in which the end members of the car-ton are cut and scored for folding.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of a second embodiment of the invention in which some of the tabs are T-shaped.

FIGUR-E 6 is a fragmentary developed side View of a carton assembled from blanks as shown in 'FIGURE 5.

FIGURES 7 and 8 are sectional views on the lines 7-7 and 8-8 respectively, of FIGURE `6.

The present invention is intended to provide eicient and economical packaging for flat coils of tubing such for example as copper tubing. The carton is shown at z10 in FIGURE 1 and is formed from two identical generally annular blanks of sheet material one of which is indicated at 12.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the 4generally annular blanks of which one is indicated at 12, is provided with a central opening 14, and in FIGURE 1 the interior of a iiat coil of tubing T is visible.

The carton is produced from two identical generally annular blanks of sheet material such for example as double faced corrugated paper. A portion of one of the blanks is illustrated in FIGURE 4 and comprises the flat central portion '16 the edge of which is cut and scored to produce relatively long outside tabs 118 scored for folding `along the line and relatively short inside tabs 22 scored for folding along the line 24. It will be observed 3,314,586 Patented Apr. 18, 1957 that the relatively long outside tabs 18 alternate with the relatively short inside tabs 22.

In FIGURE 3 there is shown a fragmentary crosssection of an assembled carton in which one of the blanks, as for example the blank 12, is associated `with an identical blank 26 as shown. Each short tab -22 of :the blank 12 is folded along the line 24 and lies within an outside tab 18 formed on the blank .26. It will be observed that the fold lines 20 and l24 as well as the comparative height of the tabs are such as to produce proper fitting of the free edge of the tab l22 within the carton and registration between the free edge of the tab .18 with the youter surface of the blank 12. The adjacent surfaces of the tabs 18 and 22 are secured together by any suitable means such for example as adhesive acting between the tabs, tape or other material extending around the circumference of the carton, stapling or the like.

Referring now to FIGURES 5-8 there is illustrated a different embodiment of the present invention. In this case two identical blanks `are provided a portion of one being illustrated at 30 in FIGURE 5. This blank comprises a fiat central area 32 which may be provided with a central opening such as the opening 14 in the embodiment of the invention previously described. The peripheral portion of each blank is provided with tabs as illustrated in the Ifigure. Alterna-te tabs 34 are of rectangular conguration and are scored for folding along the line 3S. The remaining tabs 36 are of generally T-shape having laterally extending projections 38 constituting the arms of the T, and a relatively narrow portion 39 constituting the stem of the T. The tabs 315 are scored for folding along the line 40.

FIGURE 6 is a `developed side elevational view of a portion of a carton produced by interconnecting two identical blanks such as the blank 32 of FIGURE 5. In this figure the blank 32 is assumed to be the bottom blank and the reference character 42 .is applied to the top blank. It will be observed that a T-shaped tab, here identied as 36a, extends downwardly from the top blank `42 and the laterally extending portions 38a thereof underlie the stem portion 391) of a T-shaped tab 3611 extending upwardly from the bottom blank 32. Similarly, it will be apparent that the lateral extensions 33h of the Tshaped tab 36b underlie the relatively narrower stem portions 39a of the adjacent tabs 36a.

The rectangular tabs 34 are folded inwardly of the adjacent T-shaped tabs 36 on each of the blanks and are normally retained `in folded position by engagement with the outer convolutions of the coil of tubing.

With this construction the T-shaped tabs interlock and this interlocking of the tabs may be suicient to retain the carton in assembled relationship. Alternatively of course, the carton may be provided with tape or other binding extending around its circumference.

The drawing and the lforegoing specification constitute a description of the improved carton for dat coiled tubing in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any .person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A generally cylindrical carton comprising a pair of flat blanks yof sheet material having the edges thereof notched -to form tabs shaped to be folded at right angles to the plane of the blanks and to have edges in close proximity, the tabs of each blank being folded in sequence so that consecutive tabs on each blank alternate to overlie and underlie tabs on the other blank, and means for securing said tabs together, the adjacent tabs on each blank being provided with fold lines at different distances from the center of the blank, alternate tabs having fold lines equally spaced from the center of the blank, the

adjacent tabs on each blank being of different height, measured from the fold lines thereof toward the free edge thereof, alternate tabs being of the same height, the tabs located at the greater distance from the center of the blanks being of greater height, the tabs whose fold lines are closer to the center of the blanks being dimensioned such that the free edges thereof extend in assembly to the inner surface of the opposite blank.

`2. A carton as defined in claim l, the tabs Whose fold lines are further from the center of the blanks being dimensioned such that the free edges thereof extend to the plane of the outer sur-face of the other blank.

3. A carton as defined in claim 2, the difference in distance from the center of the blank to the fold lines of adjacent tabs being approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet material.

4. A generally cylindrical carton comprising a pair of hat blanks of sheet material havin-g the edges thereof notched to form tabs shaped to be folded at right angles to the plane of the blanks and to have edges in close proximity, the fold lines on alternate outer tabs of each of said blanks being located further from the center of said blanks than the fold lines of alternate inner tabs thereof, said blanks being assembled together so that each outer tab on each of said blanks overlies an inner tab on the other of said blanks.

5. A generally cylindrical carton comprising a pair of lflat blanks of sheet material having the edges thereof notched to form tabs shaped to be folded at right angles to the plane of the blanks and to have edges in close proximity, circumferentially spaced tabs on each blank being T-shaped having lateral extensions at the free edge, the spacing between T-shaped tabs being approximately l equal to the width of the portion of the tabs adjacent the folded edge thereof, the lateral projection on each T-shaped tab being disposed beneath the portion of the T-shaped tab on the other blank adjacen-t the fold line thereof.

6. A carton as defined in claim 5 in which the lateral extensions extend from the free edge of each T-shaped tab for a distance approximately equal to one-half the height thereof.

7. A generally cylindrical carton comprising a pair of flat blanks of sheet material having thel edges thereof notched to form tabs shaped to be folded at right angles to the planes of the blanks and to have the side edges thereof in close proximity, alternate tabs on each of said blanks being T-shaped and comprising a stem and lateral extensions at the free end thereof, the spacing between adjacent T-shaped tabs on each of said blanks being uniform and dimensioned such that the lateral extension at the free end of each T-shaped tab on either of said blanks underlies the stem portion of a T-shaped tab on the other of said blanks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,016,468 2/1912 Bailey 229-21 1,665,359 4/1928 Haas.

2,003,326 6/1935 Wellman.

2,706,592 4/1955 Schaller.

2,724,538 ll/l955 Schweich.

2,992,791 7/1961 Johnson.

JOSEPH R. LECLAR, Primary Examiner.

lDAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner. 

1. A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CARTON COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLAT BLANKS OF SHEET MATERIAL HAVING THE EDGES THEREOF NOTCHED TO FORM TABS SHAPED TO BE FOLDED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLANE OF THE BLANKS AND TO HAVE EDGES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, THE TABS OF EACH BLANK BEING FOLDED IN SEQUENCE SO THAT CONSECUTIVE TABS ON EACH BLANK ALTERNATE TO OVERLIE AND UNDERLIE TABS ON THE OTHER BLANK, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID TABS TOGETHER, THE ADJACENT TABS ON EACH BLANK BEING PROVIDED WITH FOLD LINES AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES FROM THE CENTER OF THE BLANK, ALTERNATE TABS HAVING FOLD LINES EQUALLY SPACED FROM THE CENTER OF THE BLANK, THE ADJACENT TABS ON EACH BLANK BEING OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT, MEASURED FROM THE FOLD LINES THEREOF TOWARD THE FREE EDGE THEREOF, ALTERNATE TABS BEING OF THE SAME HEIGHT, THE TABS LOCATED AT THE GREATER DISTANCE FROM THE CENTER OF THE BLANKS BEING OF GREATER HEIGHT, THE TABS WHOSE FOLD LINES ARE CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE BLANKS BEING DIMENSIONED SUCH THAT THE FREE EDGES THEREOF EXTEND IN ASSEMBLY TO THE INNER SURFACE OF THE OPPOSITE BLANK. 